Nine Lives To Die

“One hundred and fifty dollars?” Harry whispered into Jessica’s ear.

Nodding back, the always well-dressed woman cooed, “Worth every penny.”

“Well—” Harry stalled.

Both women stood on the second floor of Nordstrom, located at the town of Short Pump, outside of Richmond. Charlottesville contained the usual complement of shops catering to middle-class women in a suburban environment; neither Harry nor Jessica felt at ease in such outfits.

However, Nordstrom was always expensive, and Harry, ever tight with the buck, balked at one hundred and fifty dollars for a silk scarf.

“Now, look, you have as many Christmas parties to go to as I do. Do you really want to look like the frosted-hair set?” Jessica was ruthless. “I have to look good—my husband is president of Silver Linings. I can’t wear the same outfit twice. It’s the fund-raising season. You have to look good, too.”

“Uh, now, Jessica, some of my best friends have frosted hair and look good.”

“It’s over. I mean over. Too seventies. Just don’t do it.”

“My hair’s not turning gray.” Harry paused. “Yet.”

“When it does, just make sure it’s a good gray. Now, buy the scarf and throw it around your neck when you wear that fabulous emerald-green cocktail dress. That wasn’t cheap, so why drag your heels at the scarf? And I do mean heels.”

“You’re right.” Harry dug into her leather purse for her credit card. Resistance was futile.

As Jessica stood with her at the counter, both women scanned the large second floor. “Finding good clothes in Virginia is like finding the Holy Grail,” said Jessica.

“That’s a fact.” Harry thanked the clerk after the clerk thanked her.

The two women headed for the escalator, stepping aside as two teenage girls attached to their mother ducked in front of them.

“Adriana, you turn around and apologize right this minute,” ordered the mother, West End Richmond all the way.

Red-faced, Adriana, rail thin, ears pierced, did turn around, looked up at Harry and apologized.

“Accepted,” Harry replied with some warmth.

The mother turned around. “If you don’t have children, don’t start.”

This made both Harry and Jessica laugh. Christmas always brought out the best and worst in people. If this mother insisted on proper deportment, maybe things weren’t so bad. Jessica carried her bags with aplomb. Good manners eases one’s path in life. So does a good mother. “Are you sure you only want the one dress? I don’t mind going to another department or even driving over to Saks.”

“I can’t take anymore. Shopping gives me a headache.”

Jessica laughed. “Let’s go home. I have Motrin in the car and a bottle of water. Just knock those orange pills back, girl.”

They walked through the plowed parking lot, skies lowering.

“Thank you for coming with me.” Harry peered up at the clouds.

“You’ve worn everyone else out.” Jessica hit the remote to open the car.

Once inside, Harry ruefully agreed. “Susan only goes with me if Alicia and BoomBoom come along as her enforcers. She says I am the worst person ever to shop with or for. I don’t think I’m that bad.”

“What are best friends for if not overstatement?”

“Funny. Just yesterday Susan reminded me she’s my best friend and therefore can give it to me both barrels.”

“She’s right. Let’s cruise down 250 for a bit. Getting back onto 64 will be a mess and”—she craned her neck to look up through the windshield—“it really is going to snow again. The weather report was right.”

“Winter truly has arrived.” Harry also looked up at the sky.

“Snow or not, the fund-raiser is going to be held tomorrow night. Anyway, you need to show off that wonderful dress.”

Harry, with a devilish smile, clicked shut her seatbelt. “Wouldn’t it be fun to show up with as much showing as possible?”

Jessica cruised onto the highway. “That depends. Whenever I have a moment where I question the Almighty, I remind myself He gave us fashion and I am comforted.”

“Well, girl, you will be comforted tomorrow night, as there will be a lot of fashion.”

“Harry, clothes cover a multitude of sins.”

The two women giggled.

But some sins are harder to cover than others.